Carnation plant named &#39;CFPC Chantilly&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of carnation plant named ‘CFPC Chantilly’, having a compact form of plant with well presented purple edged purple-pink center flowers.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES Botanical Classification

Dianthus caryophyllus.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new carnation variety denomination is ‘CFPC Chantilly’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid carnation botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, and referred to by the cultivar name ‘CFPC Chantilly’. The new variety, identified as selection no. 060104, was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety ‘CFPC Evermore’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,120), in Salinas, Calif. The new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative side shoot cuttings in Salinas, Calif. and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘CFPC Chantilly’ is a potted spray-type carnation plant variety having a compact form of plant with well presented flowers having a distinctive purple edged purple-pink center.

Comparison with Original Variety

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ are similar to the original variety ‘CFPC Evermore’ in plant habit and growth rate. Under similar growing conditions in Salinas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ differed from plants of ‘CFPC Evermore’ in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ produces lavender flowers         with purple edge picotee whereas the original variety ‘CFPC         Evermore’ produces white flowers with a purple edge picotee.

Comparison with Other Similar Varieties

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ are similar to plants of the unpatented variety ‘CFPC Debutante’ in plant habitat and growth rate. Under similar growing conditions, however, in Salinas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ differed from plants of ‘CFPC Debutante’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The edge of the flowers of new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ is         more purple than the flowers of ‘CFPC Debutante’ and the center         of the ‘CFPC Chantilly’ is purple-pink.     -   2. The plants of new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ are taller than         plants of ‘CFPC Debutante’.     -   3. The growth of plants of new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ is         slower than plants of ‘CFPC Debutante’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

A typical specimen of the plant and flowers for the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ is shown in the accompanying photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 120 days from date of planting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Chantilly’ is of plants 120 days from planting grown in a commercial greenhouse in Salinas, Calif. The cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity without any variance in genotype.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 24° C. to 28° C. during the day under light conditions of about 12 hours. Plants are daylight neutral and flower throughout the year. Chemical growth regulators are not required for production. The new variety may be produced as a potted spray-type carnation. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Pinched plants are about 6 inches tall and about 6 inches in diameter. Flower diameter averages about 2 inches with a crown of about 1 inch. Foliage is generally about 4 inches long and about 5/16 inch at the widest point. The typical container size for commercial growth is 4½ inches.

It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with a time to first bud opening of about 15-16 weeks. The plant hardiness zone has not been determined. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potted spray-type.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a potted spray-type carnation. The plant and flower measurements and foliage size are established as an average using standard commercial cultural practices. In the description of this new carnation variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant: -   Height (inches): 8 ½. -   Form: herbaceous. -   Growing habit: semi upright. -   Branching characteristics: 4-5 laterals per stem. -   Breaking action: 6-8 breaks per plant with strong straight stems. -   First appearance of color in buds: 105 days after planting. -   Vigor: excellent. -   Shelf life: 21 days. -   Blooming habit: spray type. -   Blooming season: year round. -   Lastingness of blooms: about 10 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): excellent resistance     to soil-borne diseases such as Fusarium oxysporum and F.     graminearium, and root rots such as damping off, water molds and     similar types, as are typical of carnations. -   Pest susceptibility/resistance: not evaluated or observed. -   Drought and temperature susceptibility/resistance: not evaluated or     observed. -   Mutation prone: no. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—side shoot cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—18 days with soil temperatures of about             18° C. to 21° C.         -   Rooting habit.—good fibrous system. -   Growth treatments or special conditions: single pinch. -   Foliage: -   Stem:     -   -   Length (inches).—8.         -   Diameter (inches).—⅜ (at base).         -   Texture.—smooth.         -   Cross section.—edged.         -   Color.—137 A internode 145 C node. -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 14. -   Arrangement of leaves: bi-lateral along the stem.     -   -   Shape of leaf.—long, narrow, lanceolate.         -   Size of leaf.—Width (inches): 5/16 Length (inches): 4.         -   Leaf apex.—acute.         -   Edge.—smooth.         -   Base.—smooth.         -   Aspect.—elliptic.         -   Surface texture.—Top: smooth Bottom: smooth. -   Leaf venation: prominent mid-vein at underside. -   Leaf longitudinal axis: recurved. -   Leaf cross section (upper side): weakly concave. -   Leaf color:     -   -   Mature Leaf, upper side.—137 A; under side: 137 B.         -   Young Leaf, upper side.—137 A; under side: 138 A. -   Leaf waxy layer: medium. -   Flower: -   Flower appearance: matte to shiny. -   Flower type: double. -   Flower profile of upper part of corolla: convex. -   Flower profile of lower part of corolla: concave. -   Flower shape: somewhat doomed shape, rounded. -   Number of blossom per branch: 7-8.     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (inches).—1¼.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (inches).—2. -   Calyx:     -   -   Sepals number.—5.         -   Length (inches).—1.         -   Width (inches).— 7/16.         -   Color.—outer side base: 144 B outer side middle to tip: 144             A inner side: 138 A.         -   Texture.—smooth.         -   Appearance.—matte with waxy bloom.         -   Shape.—cylindrical. -   Flower petals:     -   -   Form/shape.—fan shape.         -   Petal edge.—edge type: crenate-dentate width: 1/16 inches             depth: 1/16 inches.         -   Texture.—smooth.         -   Appearance.—matte-shiny.         -   Petal surface of blade.—undulating.         -   Number per flower.—28.         -   Outer petals.—Length (inches): 1¾ Width (inches): 1⅛.         -   Inner petals.—Length (inches): 1⅝ Width (cm): 13/16. -   Fragrance: absent. -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length (inches).—1¼.         -   Diameter (inches).—½.         -   Form/shape.—cylindrical. -   Flower color:     -   -   1. General tonality.—purple-lavender.         -   2. Petals, upper surface.—73 C.         -   3. Petals, lower surface.—73 D.         -   4. Petals, edge.—74 A.         -   5. Petals, center.—73 D.         -   6. Early bud.—74 A. -   Color distribution: edged-striated-speckled. -   Petal macule (random spots): present. -   Flower progression with age: color slightly fades to lighter color. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—1.         -   Pistil length (inches).—1½.         -   Stigma color.—white or cream.         -   Stigma shape.—filamentous.         -   Style color.—whiter than 155 D.         -   Style length (inches).—1½.         -   Style number.—three and four. -   Ovary:     -   -   Shape.—ovoid.         -   Surface.—smooth.         -   Color.—Base: 145 C Body: 145 C Apex: 145 A. -   Androecium: none produced. -   Fruit and seeds: none produced. 

1. A new and distinct variety of carnation plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 